Observing Television – A Blog on Broadcast Media

On seeing Satyamev Jayate this Sunday, I should say I was very impressed. An out and out entertainment channel, Star Plus picking up a programme to project social issues such as ‘female foeticide’. Not just that, having so much faith in the concept that the channel advertised the programme in a major way. Of course with Aamir as the anchor, the programme did always have the scope to be a big success.

When I saw reports about Madhya Pradesh government’s action on 65 Medical Termination of Pregnancy centres – it was obvious, that the programme was starting to have the desired effect. But will rest of the 13 episodes evoke similar kind of response?Will highlighting social issues transform into good TRP? … will have to wait and see. I am sure the same questions will be there at the back of the mind of the channel heads.

From television production point of view, I think it definitely is a thumps up. The programme has good production standards and keeping segments short will definitely appeal to today’s audience which is impatient. Further, with Aamir planning to pick up the issues with people concerned, the programme will definitely have an impact outside the idiot box (with such programmes may be television won’t be called as idiot box anymore) as well.

For the last couple of years I am spending a week at Central University of Rajasthan taking  Journalism workshop for  their M A English Literature students.  I was there at their Bandar Sindri Campus (80 kms from Jaipur)  last week for the workshop this year.   The students loved the workshop this year as well.  For them it added a new dimension to their otherwise academics based course.   Their enthusiasm rubbed on me as well.  Instead of the usual 5 hour sessions per day, I was spending much longer time with them.   The students interacted even after the class room hours with me, say at the mess, during the evening walk etc.  Not surprisingly they want to get the maximum out of every professional who comes to interact with them.

For anybody involved in training this is the best kind of reaction one can expect from students.  Sharing your knowledge besides the curriculum adds a dimension to the whole exercise.   I feel even if one of the students is awakened to the realities of the professional life after the workshop, my work as a trainer would have been done.  All the best to the MA literature batch of 2013.

I made the workshop comprehensive asking students to give 100%. I was very happy with the amount of effort each one of them put in.

Budget and elections are two events that pushes television channels on an overdrive. Every channel remotely connected with news tries to milk the audience which wants to know more as the budget and election results unfurl. TRPs are made or lost during these events and not surprisingly channels want to grab the eyeball and make available all possible resources at their disposal to the people running the show at the ground level.  I have known channels which plan to launch during elections for this very purpose. Of course the experts are in great demand. If it is the budget then it is the economists or those who claim to be the financial experts who suddenly become the people in highest demand.  I have seen experts move from one tv studio to another to interpret the budget. The industry bodies such as FICCI, CII and others suddenly come to life as their views are given extra importance by the media.

But let us look at what exactly is on offer in the channels. How the budget affects the different sections of the society, the economy, what has become costlier and what has become cheaper, what probably is the long term impact of the policy changes. All these issues obviously are very important and touch our day to day life. However, it leaves very little scope for the television producer to be different and give something creative. Some channels of late have included facebook like and dislike to various policy changes. But these innovations seem to be cosmetic and do not add anything more substantial than what has been done for many years.
On a different note the Internet is giving an altogether different kind of challenge to the channels. What it offers is interactivity. Even as the television channel keeps pace with the Finance Minister’s address, a surfer has the option to refer back what was the first thing he said. Something the channels can hardly offer. At best they can only keep repeating the salient points. So in short at a time when interactivity is the rule of the game, the channels will have to be really innovative to give something very different.

And this is where I believe youngsters from GenY can make a huge difference. They can come up with ideas which will catch the fancy of the peers. Trying to do something out of the ordinary…. something that will not only appeal to the youngsters but also show a new way to the seniors. So even as the net challenges the television news industry, it is Gen Y which has the key to make a difference.

My article on Indian Management November issue talks about the particular style of dealing with subordinates in a harsh style. IS BEING HARSH OKAY?

As I write this blog post, I know anytime now the court is going to come out with its verdict on Ayodhya.  Obviously there is tension and worry but the media is also highlighting the efforts being made to maintain calm after the verdict.  This is a big deviation from its usual image of trying to sensationalise issues. 

Prime Minister’s appeal for calm, personalities getting together to appeal for calm is also being written and reported. It is also interesting to note that media is also highlighting the fact that legal recourse is still available even once the High Court comes out with its verdict. The recourse being to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The following were some of the topics being discussed in NDTV’s website.

Similar news items could also be seen in other television channels.  An Economic Times headlines read: ‘Indian public figures unite ahead of Ayodhya verdict’ 

Of course news items such as Ayodhya turns into a fortress, Saints to meet after verdict etc were still being flashed but they were not the only reports.  Interestingly, for all of those who did not know about the full Ayodhya case, this is the time to catch up with history. Most news channels spoke about the background, what is the case all about, who were the litigants etc.  I am sure for many of us who have been following Ayodhya for sometime, there were new elements to know about the case.

Before I end this piece, I should also say that I hope peace and calm continues to prevail after the verdict.